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macrumors 68030

Just finished reading about Apple's new iPhone Upgrade Program, and it appears to be a better deal all around, in comparison to AT&T Next. Comparison:

I'm now paying $42.45/mo for a 64GB iPhone 6+ without Apple Care. I can swap every 12 months. The phone is locked to AT&T until it's paid off (which is never, since I would upgrade each year).

With Apple, I'd pay $40.75/mo for the same phone. I would get Apple Care + bundled in the price. The phone is unlocked, which is great if I travel. Also, if I want to preorder, I don't have to deal with AT&T, which invariably has much longer preorder queues when a new iPhone is released.

Two questions:

Am I missing anything here that would affect this comparison?

How do I easily transition from AT&T Next to Apple? Can I just preorder the new iPhones through Apple's Upgrade Program, then go to an AT&T store and hand in my existing phones and be removed from the Next program? I will have completed 12 of 20 monthly installments, and I'm eligible for a phone swap now, but I just want to instead hand in the old phones and end the Next program, so that I can switch to Apple. I will preorder through Apple first, then return my old phones to AT&T after I have the new iPhone in hand.

macrumors 6502

How do I easily transition from AT&T Next to Apple? Can I just preorder the new iPhones through Apple's Upgrade Program, then go to an AT&T store and hand in my existing phones and be removed from the Next program? I will have completed 12 of 20 monthly installments, and I'm eligible for a phone swap now, but I just want to instead hand in the old phones and end the Next program, so that I can switch to Apple. I will preorder through Apple first, then return my old phones to AT&T after I have the new iPhone in hand.

macrumors 68040

I would have liked to see the option available online. I actually don't have an interest in 'upgrading," as I pass my phone down. However, for the small payments and included Apple Care, I would still be interested.

macrumors 68040

my assumption is you will have to pay off your current NEXT phone (and then sell it) and then start the plan with apple.

they are both separate from one another.

at&t MAY allow you to pay off your final payment needed for an upgrade, and still turn in the phone.... but I don't see them being that generous. they are going to want to keep you with them.... we'll see, though

macrumors 68040

I would have liked to see the option available online. I actually don't have an interest in 'upgrading," as I pass my phone down. However, for the small payments and included Apple Care, I would still be interested.

Under this program does Apple guarantee the new phones will be delivered on the first day they are available every year or is it still a "wait in line or pot luck pre-order" deal? I can see a lot of people doing this (right, wrong or otherwise) just to get it first day if that's the deal.

Something is not right with this math. Shouldn't you be comparing Next 12 with Apple Upgrade (not Next 18)? In that case, I'm paying AT&T $509.40 per year ($42.45 * 12) which is $23.40 per year more than I would pay Apple, yet with Apple I get Apple Care +. Both options allow upgrade in 12 months time, so it appears Apple is the better way to go.

macrumors regular

Something is not right with this math. Shouldn't you be comparing Next 12 with Apple Upgrade (not Next 18)? In that case, I'm paying AT&T $509.40 per year ($42.45 * 12) which is $23.40 per year more than I would pay Apple, yet with Apple I get Apple Care +. Both options allow upgrade in 12 months time, so it appears Apple is the better way to go.

I tried to baseline over the same monthly terms (24months) vs time you are able to upgrade to the next phone. I typically give my old phone to my parents and sell their 2yr old phone so I am never trading in a year old phone. But yes you have more equity in the phone via next12 than Apple upgrade at 12 months.

After some additional research it appears applecare+ for the 6s/6sPlus is now 129 vs 99. If you typically buy AppleCare then going through Apple is a better deal because you get an unlocked phone on day 1. If you never buy AppleCare then going through art would be cheaper.

macrumors 601

Going to stick with NEXT. I have no plans on switching carriers or need to worry about an unlocked phone. I also don't want to deal with going to a store, signing up for credit approval and having to deal with two billing charges from two different sources. All to save very little money. Not worth it to me.

macrumors member

Going to stick with NEXT. I have no plans on switching carriers or need to worry about an unlocked phone. I also don't want to deal with going to a store, signing up for credit approval and having to deal with two billing charges from two different sources. All to save very little money. Not worth it to me.

macrumors 6502a

Going to stick with NEXT. I have no plans on switching carriers or need to worry about an unlocked phone. I also don't want to deal with going to a store, signing up for credit approval and having to deal with two billing charges from two different sources. All to save very little money. Not worth it to me.

Agreed. Although I will be upgrading my 6 Plus to a 6S Plus at best Buy because I am already down as number 1 for a preorder on a 128GB ATT Space grey. I am so glad best buy lets you do next switches with them now

macrumors regular

To those mentioning the plan discount with next: you get a $15 or $25 discount for owning the phone. As long as you don't sign a 2yr commitment you get that discount.

To those mentioning corporate discounts: I believe most if not all don't provide hardware discounts on Apple and you don't get discounts on next only your base plan. So that makes no difference to your pocketbook if you go next vs Apple.

macrumors 65816

Over the course of 12 months, I've paid $449.40 ($37.45 x 12 months) per phone. After 12 payments, I owed $299.60 per phone.

I just sold both phones on nextworth.com for $390 a piece (promo code GETNEWIPHONE). So, I owed $299.60 but sold them for $390. So instead of giving my phones back to AT&T after 12 months to upgrade, I just paid them off and sold them to Nextworth and pocketed the $180 ($90 per phone).

Another way to look at it. I paid $449.40 over the course of 1 year to use each phone. I got $390 back for each phone. So I basically spent $59.40 to use each phone for 1 year!

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